Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-11-25
THE PENALTY PAID.
Lee AIosier Hanged for the Murder
LawIer in the Indian Territory.


Lee Mosier Hanged for the Murder
LaWIer in the Indian Territory.
WICHITA. KAN, November I5.-[SpeciaL
Lee Mosier, who murdered Hugh Lawler
in the Territory a short distance south Of
the Harper county Inns on the 18th day OF
October, 1886, and who was convicted OF
murder In the first degree at the September
court held in this city, was executed this
morning. The drop fell at 9:32, snd in
twelve minutes he was pronounced dead.
The prisoner maintained perfect cOmpOsure
70 the last, and his only statement on the
scadOld was to the man who adjusted the
cap, asking him to tell Smith, who for six
months has been his cell-mate, ''that die
game" Those present at the execution
were Deputies Sharritt, Koutz and Prior,
Bailih Henry Dallird, of the United States
court, and representative OF the press. The
body was taken to the uudertaker's office,
where 1t is being viewed by thousands of PEG
PIE. 1t VIII be taken to Ereeport, Harper
county, at O'Clock this afternoon and
there delivered by Sheriff Hayes to his par
ents. MO5ler confessed that he was paid
500 for committing the murder The exc
cutiCn was carried ont In all it's details very
skilIfully, and there were no sensational
scenes. The crime Of which MOsier was
convicted was atrOciouB and cold bLOOdeds
even as told by himself or Bob Amer, the
only living eye witness, there appears to be
absolutely no defense that could be intro
duceds except insanity.
Thursday morning October %, 1886, No
sier, his victim, Hugh B. Lawler, and Bob
Arners young man whom the latter had
persuaded TO accompany them LEFT Anthony
to go down into the Territory, Osten-
slblY TO bring back load OF furniture.
When they reached Mr.. Davis, about eight
miles south of Anthony, Aosier suggested
that they get gun and Kill prairie chickens.
The idea was instantly seconded by the
other two. One barrel was loaded and they
borrowed ammunition to load the other.
Some distance on the road he shot the barrel
with the old load IN at a bird and at the next
house they came TO they borrowed ammuni-
ton again; so that both barrels had fresh
loads.
They passed along very pleasantly without
any particular incidents until about dusk
of that evening. They had reached a point
= quarter of a mile beyond the state line
and tWenty-seYen miles from Anthony; Ar
ner and IaWler were sitting together on the
front seat and MOsler IN the back Of the
wagon; lull IN the conversation had
some and nothing broke the stiffness OF the
evening calm but the rattle of the wagon;
when, without word being said there was
loud report, 8 flash of light from behind and
LaWler pitched over the 'front.' wheel with a
| frightfnl wound IN his head. Young Amer,
/ frightened and dazed by the bloody tragedy,
turned upon his late companion who was
eOoly pointing the still smoking gun at him,
grasping 1t by the muzzle, he cried: ''FOr
Gods sake don't kill me-"
Young Amer said he did not know if
AOsier intended to kill him or not. "He
seemed to want to Kill me and didn't want
10 either" In the meanwhile the team was
going on and the Two boys were IN the wagon,
Arner struggling to keep MOs1er from kill
ing him, and the latter apparently
TO keep possession of the gun. At
last the weapon was discharged with
out doing any injury. AS soon as
his was done Amer instead of assisting the
the young criminal to make away with the
team as he promised, leapsd from the wag-
IN and ran back to where LAWYER was lying
IN the trail on his back, his head in a pool
If blood. He lifted him mp and said, ''Dick
are youzdead?' but he got no reply. He
was dead and must have been killed almost
instantly.
AIosisr as soon as his companion sprang
from the wagon stopped the team, unhar-
| messed the gray, leaving the other hitched to
he wagon, mounted it and fed. First he
topped at the residence OF Thomas Storey
70 inquire the way to Anthony. Being d.
reCted he started OF at full spsed5 stopping at
Blackburn 8 ranch TO exchange his tired horse
Tor another on plea that a man had been
shot and that he was going Tor medical as
sistance. He pushed on rapidly and soon
reached hiss home at Anthony. YOund Ar
ner IN the meantime had started on foot
over the prairie and reached Stor6y's place
completely exhausted from the terrible
fright and nervous strain, not more than
five minutes after Mosier had left it.
The next day, Friday, the murderer was
captured in a cOrntield by Sheriff Crouch,
/ Of Harper county. The officer commanded
him three times to halt and at last when he
did stop running the fugitive fell at the feet
Of his pursuers begging them TO kill him.
He was brought here for cODhneme 1t in the
sOunty jail Saturday, where he has remained
ever since.
The first question naturally asked is what
motive could he had fOE such a crime.
Against his victim, a man of 80, whe short
lime before had moved to Anthony, he had
40 ili-f6elug and as far as Is known they
mad lived on the most friendly terms. Ac-
sording. to MOsier's own confession he had
been hired to murder LAWYER for 500 to be
paid him by Mrs. LaWler, the young wife Of
/ the murdered man. He furthes stated that
/ he was to deliver to the woman as the svi
5ence OF the commission Of the crime, the
mans watch upon the platform of the Fort
| Scott depot in this city on Saturday. When
brought up by the officers he was permitted
/ TO walk along the platform in hopes that
| the person who had urged him to the deed
would appear. They waited for almost two
hours, but no one came to claim the watch
or reward the murderer.
/ Mrs. LaWflsr was traced to Iowa by Detect
I i've McAahon and brought back to Anthony
for trial. AlOsier was taken there by Nc
/ MahOn and Under Sheriff Brown and on the
I trial he stated that he could not recognize in
[ Mrs. LaWler the woman whom he claimed
I had hired him to do the bloody deed, and SO
I zFH was acquitted.